SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane-area trade companies are addressing a workforce shortage by introducing young people to skilled careers.
At NewTech Skills Center’s Trades Night, construction, welding, and painting companies let attendees operate heavy machinery like rollers and excavators. The event tackles a real problem: 48% of recent college graduates feel unprepared for entry-level jobs.
“The goal is to show them what a career in the trades could look like,” said Dustin Smith, Director of Operations at Divcon. “Give them a little bit of experience, so maybe they have a little bit of courage to step out and give it a shot.”
Attendee Riley Turpen saw the value immediately. “It’s a good opportunity to get a job and work for someone that you’ll know, trust, and you’ll like. If you learn how to do this at an early age, it gives them a step up.”
Trade companies face a critical hiring challenge. “Just about every company that we talk to, the biggest struggle is finding good quality workers,” Smith said. “The numbers just aren’t there.”
By making the work tangible and exciting, companies hope to inspire a new generation to consider these careers. Attendee Owen Smith captured the appeal: “You can see the mood is electric, there are lights, sounds, all that, diesel fumes, all of that good stuff.”
NewTech Skills Center’s Trades Night represents a strategic investment in the future workforce.
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